Welcome to the family!
by EdithLake
Summary: TVD/Originals AU: Charlotte is a young New Yorker who starts dating and artist, Klaus Mikaelson. It is all magical until they visit Klaus's home in New Orleans and Charlotte gets to meet his family that consists of his eccentric siblings, three ex-wives and a young daughter.


„Good morning, love."  
I open my eyes to see him standing next to the bed, two mugs with steaming coffee in his hands.  
„Klaus.." I grab for my phone and see it's already half past nine. „You know it's your birthday, I should be bringing coffee to you! I must have not heard my alarm, I'm sorry.."  
„It's okay," Klaus laughs and kisses my forehead.  
I take one of the mugs from his hands but put it right back at the nightstand as I remember I actually have a gift for him, other than hot morning beverages, which.. well, didn't play out like I intended to. I jump out of the bed, almost knocking Klaus's mug from his hands and at the same time apologizing, I go through my handbag to find a little wrapped book. When I finally find it I proudly hand it to Klaus and wish him a happy 40th birthday with an overly ceremonial voice.  
He laughs at me but proceeds to open the package. At first he stares at the old leather-covered book with confusion but after opening it his face lights up again.  
"Charlotte, you didn't have to…"  
"Do you like it?" I interrupt him.  
"Do I like it? I love it!" With that he pulls me into his arms and back on the bed and starts kissing me. After a while he stops and inquires: "But where did you get all that? From what I gathered from my few glimpses the material in there is rare to say the least. It must be his early work."  
"I didn't mention it to you earlier because I didn't want to ruin the surprise but Charles Patel was actually a relative of mine… My great-grandfather. We had some of his notebooks stored in the attic and when you mentioned him during the dinner and how you think he's underestimated and how you admire his work… I knew then I had the perfect gift for you. And as you said, he is and was underestimated, that's why those notebooks are still in our attic not in some fancy museum. You know, I'm actually named after him." I smirk at Klaus with that last sentence and he shakes his head, smiling.  
"And you're telling me all this now, not when I was blabbering to you how much I love your great grandfather… Aren't you a crafty little thing."  
He then pulls me close to him and kisses me as his hands move to my hips and caress my skin. 

We're sitting on a plane to New Orleans. Since it's his big birthday, Klaus is going home, to his family. And I also get to meet them. For the first time. I'm very nervous since from the stories I have heard, and there have not been THAT many, his family is very… eccentric. He's got three brothers and a sister and like that's not enough there are also three ex-wives. THREE! My heart starts pounding as I even think about it. If it wasn't a plane I would had probably left already because meeting that many people after dating him for just 3 weeks… I take Klaus's hand and though he's sleeping he responds with a warm squeeze. My nerves calm down immediately because as much I'm afraid of that crazy family, I also feel like falling more and more in love with him every second. And there is one person I'm waiting for to meet – Klaus's 10 year old daughter, Henrietta. Klaus hasn't seen her for weeks now because he has been in New York in relation to his new exhibition. That's where we met actually, he's show. I was looking at one of his picture when he suddenly stood next to me and asked me what I thought about the work. I had no idea it was him so I didn't know to hold my critique. But my honesty, though a bit unintentional, didn't get me in trouble, instead it earned me a date. And now, three weeks later, I'm going to meet his family, including his exes. Time sure moves fast, I think and look at that man I'm starting to love, sleeping peacefully.

We enter a big mansion like house and are greeted by a blonde woman immediately.  
"Klaus! Happy birthday big brother!" she says as she hugs Klaus. That must be Rebekah, Klaus's only sister, whom he cares deeply about. After hugging his brother the woman takes a step back and looks at me with a smirk on her face.  
"Again with the blondes, I see," she mocks his brother but then turns to me with a lighter tone: "I'm Rebekah. Klaus's sister. I'm sure you've already heard many great and not so great things about me. "  
"Yes, Klaus talks about his family a lot. Mostly good things," I smile. "I'm Charlotte but you can call me Charlie."  
"Charlotte… With a C." Rebekah gives another smug look to Klaus who then rolls his eyes while being clearly amused.  
I don't get to ask what that was about because a little girl already storm down the stairs our way with a loud: "Daddy!" accompanying it. Klaus catches the girl in his arms and hugs her tightly. "Hello, darling."  
"Happy birthday, Daddy! I made you this!" she says and hands him a self-drawn card with an abstract picture on it. I smile because it's actually really good and reminds me of her father's art – at the same time so open and honest, but a bit dark, serious.  
Klaus turns to me and introduces me to her daughter: "Henrietta, this is a very special friend of mine – Charlie. Charlie, this is Henrietta, my daughter."  
Henrietta looks at me inquiringly and then asks: "Charlie? But that's a boy's name."  
I laugh and tell her: "It's short for Charlotte."  
"Charolotte…" she seems to consider that like it was an offer. "I like that better. Sounds more like a name a princess would have," she finally makes up her mind and nods approvingly.  
During our little conversation a woman has appeared on the stairs where Henrietta just came from. As she catches Klaus's eyes she comes down and gives him a polite hug. "Happy birthday, Klaus. Henrietta was so eager to see you she wanted to stay up the whole night yesterday. I had to convince her that time would actually go faster if she went to sleep."  
She looks beautiful, probably in her early 30's. Her face has sharp features and eyes are wolf like, hair dark brown.  
"This is Hayley," Klaus introduces her. "Henrietta's mother and my ex-wife. Hayley, this is Charlotte."  
Before I can say anything we are again interrupted, this time by a young man, leaning on one of the doorways: "Second ex-wife. You've yet to meet number one and three." He then approaches me, takes my hand and kisses it. "I'm Kol, if you didn't figure it out yet. I'm sure my brother has warned you about our family. But he sure hasn't warned us about you."  
Once again, before I can even say anything, Rebekah sweeps in.  
"Ever so tasteful, Kol," she snaps. "This is Charlotte." And then to me: "Don't mind my brother, he wasn't lucky enough to be born with a common sense when it comes to tact and other such things."  
"Your bickering reminds me, where is our only sensible brother. Atleast the only one who still turns up for family events?" Klaus asks and it seems like his question is directed to Hayley of all the people.  
"Elijah is running late, work. But he'll be here," Hayley answers and my confused look about why should Klaus's ex-wife know about his brothers whereabouts gets answered quickly by Kol who must have seen my questioning look.  
"Hayley is a serial when it comes to marrying Mikaelsons. I'm looking forward to my turn!" The last part Kol says like he's swoon and earns a sarcastic look from Hayley, a shot in the ribs from Rebekah and a laugh from Klaus.  
"I'm showing Charlotte to my room now. Henrietta, you want to come with us?" Klaus asks but the little girl shakes her head and runs back up saying something about another present she has for Klaus.  
We head upstairs too and I when we're out of everybody's hearing range I ask Klaus, trying to sound nonchalant: "Do you get along with all of your ex-wives so well?"  
He looks at me with a worried look and says: "I knew the ex-wives thing would scare you…"  
"No, I'm not scared, I just haven't seen many people who get along with their exes. Let alone all their exes. It's just interesting, in a psychological aspect."  
Klaus smiles. "You will hit it off great with Cami if you keep saying things like that. But I don't know… They are all still very important to me. Cami, my last wife, is my best friend. Hayley is the mother of my child. And Caroline was my first love… and is still my agent." The last part is said with a faked pain and we both start laughing. He then drops our suitcases, takes my face between his hands, kisses me and then softly whispers: "Romantically they are all in the past but I hope you'll be in my future."


End file.
